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Neighbour turning our applicants away

24-05-2019, 13:52 PM

So we have a terraced property we're finding hard to let. Twice we've had applicants pass referencing and give us a move in date. However, before they could sign the AST, in the process of going back to check out the street, they've been approached by a neighbour who has persuaded them not to take up the tenancy. Both applicants have subsequently pulled out.

We don't know if it's the same neighbour (we're overseas at the mo) and we don't know if what they're telling our applicants is true either. They're being told that there's a drug house in the street and that they shouldn't move in because drugs are being dished out. It's a likely story for the area (I used to live a street away and I know the area well).

I've got the application forms of both the people who turned the place down. The agent passed the forms on to us. I was wondering if I'd be in breach of GDPR rules if I contacted the two individuals and asked them what they'd been told and who had approached them. Just get more details to try to think of a solution really.

We're not really sure what we can do about this even once we do get back to the area permanently in July and it's still not let. We've dropped the rent and offered first month half price but we're getting very few viewings. The market has seen a slump for sure so some of this, but it's a nicely decorated house with new carpets very close to the centre of town with parking. It's a nice place, but we could have a long void (been five months already) if there is a drug house in the small street.

Thankfully, we're not desperate for the income, but any advice or general encouragement anyone can offer would be lovely.

All landlord must expect the odd 7-months (e.g....) of voids or the tenant-from-hell (or agent-from....) so you being desperate for the income is tough but, sorry, you should have planned for this sort of issue.

Hope things improve....

I am legally unqualified: If you need to rely on advice check it with a suitable authority - eg a solicitor specialising in landlord/tenant law...

1 like

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All landlord must expect the odd 7-months (e.g....) of voids or the tenant-from-hell (or agent-from....) so you being desperate for the income is tough but, sorry, you should have planned for this sort of issue.

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What neighbour did this and what was said I would want to know. Deifinitely send friend as viewer or change agent and see what happens. I wonder if agent let another property to those viewers who pulled out?

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We're not really sure what we can do about this even once we do get back to the area permanently

Thankfully, we're not desperate for the income,

TIA

Your own investment strategy and knowledge of the area will give you a good indication whether this house is a good 'hands off' let for an ex-pat, or should be sold.

I had a house in a similar situation to yours and it needed to be marketed hard by me to prospective tenants. As soon as I passed it over to an agent they did not re-let it when the tenancy was up for renewal . In truth an agent will not normally do the extra jobs that an owner does to make a house attractive - such as clearing obvious mess or clutter, rubbish,opening curtains etc . Furthermore an agent probably does not live near your house, nor knows what is going on in the area and hence will only visit for viewings.If your house needs this type of extra attention to get a tenant then you should find an agent who will do this for you. You will need an agent who is local and is used to placing tenants in your area.

It is also possible there is a problem with the area. It may be that the area does not have too many family occupiers or perhaps the 'neighbour' is in fact telling newcomers what it is really like to live there- or it may just be that the prospective tenants have done their research and found it to be a rougher area than they first thought . I suggest that you do the same research on your own property and area to try and see what your prospective tenants are seeing.

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Maybe I wrote too much and you missed it boletus but we're overseas and in the process of returning. I've got enough to do maintaining control of life at this end as we pack up to return to "take control" 4,000 miles away. While I can advertise on Rightmove, having a friend do viewings is in no way convenient for any of the friends in the local area we dearly love. None of them have the time to deal with that even if they were willing to. Not very practical solution I'm afraid.

I really am nonplussed by you on one hand telling me that I'm doing something stupid by offering the first month half price because I'm desperate (which, as I've explained we're not) and that my pricing is incorrect while on the other hand telling me that if it's correctly priced, it'll fly.

The photos are absolutely fine and it is a decent property. It was priced correctly and it flew worse than a 737-Max with Monarch Airlines livery: in three months, we had five viewings. So, we dropped the price, and we got a number of viewings in a short space of time. Two of them turned out to be applicants with outstanding CCJs. Sorry, but they're not renting it because that would be, well, "desperation nonsense." Then we had the two others who were turned away.

artfull's advice is best. We'll see if we can get a friend to pop round and pose as a prospective tenant to lure that pesky neighbour out of hiding

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I would agree with asking the ones who declined if they were told '' information ' by someone nearby, maybe the neighbour has had some bad experiences with past tenants and is not keen on more of the same, living so far away you would of course be unaware of this.

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The property is a doozy, correctly marketed, show house condition, brilliant photos, right price, no hint of desperation, letting agents doing a great job, everything under control, good management systems all in place. A five month (and climbing) void is all fine, two tenants backing out after going through the hassle of referencing is perfectly normal.

Move along now, nothing to see here.

If only it weren't for those pesky neighbours....

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seriously boletus.... back off. You partly, not wholly, misjudged the situation and I explained so you could get a fuller picture. We've got other properties similar spec same area all let fine. I didn't come here asking for abuse. And yeah, if the neighbour hadn't spoken to the last two tenants, one of them would have moved in by now.

Happy to follow advice here to put the first month back up to full. No skin off my nose. Doesn't seem to make a difference to the viewings either. And thanks for clarifying I'm OK emailing those two applicants.

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